Screen Reader List View Presentation Method

Abstract

A speech-generating product for controlling the output of tabular or other composite data in a computer having a screen reader function. The product provides a customized control presentation tool that configures a screen reader to present tabular or other composite data to a user in the order most useful to the user. The tool includes the ability to configure the screen reader independently for both speech and Braille output on a control by control basis. This customized control presentation is saved in permanent storage. Consequently, each time the screen reader is presented with this instance of the control, the screen reader immediately knows how to present it to the user. The software product allows a user to modify the output by the screen reader of the data according to preferences configurable by the user. These preferences may include the ability to skip display information, to specify the order in which the screen reader presents the display information and the ability to alter the headers associated with the display information. By altering the headers the user may annotate the headers to provide additional information about the underlying data. The headers may also be output in an alternative voice by a speech synthesizer to queue a user to a change of information. The user may also specify that certain display information is sent by the screen reader to one display device while other display information is sent to an alternative display device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 522,847, filed Nov. 12, 2004, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] This invention pertains to screen reader applications for computer systems. More specifically, this invention pertains to controlling the output of tabular or other composite data by a computer having a screen reader function. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0003] Personal computers and the Internet greatly enhanced communications and access to information from around the world. Typically, visual information is displayed upon a monitor screen and data can be added or manipulated via keystrokes upon an associated keyboard. Feedback is provided visually to the user by the monitor screen. Blind users cannot utilize the information appearing upon the monitor screen while visually impaired users may experience difficulty doing so. Accordingly, screen readers...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a control presentation tool that allows a screen reader to present data to a user in a way that is most useful to them. The tool can be customized for both speech and Braille output, and users can modify the output to their preferences. The tool also allows users to annotate the data with additional information and queue users to changes in information. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a more efficient and effective way of presenting information to users with disabilities.

Problems solved by technology

Blind users cannot utilize the information appearing upon the monitor screen while visually impaired users may experience difficulty doing so.

Until now, screen readers have had a limited ability to select information to speak or Braille according to user's preference.

One problem frequently encountered with formats involving large tabular arrays of data is that the data, as displayed on a computer screen, may include a large amount of irrelevant data that a user might desire to skip or ignore.

For the typical user such a process is a trivial task.

For a vision-impaired or blind user it is not nearly so simple.

A great amount of time can be spent waiting to arrive at the information sought by the user.

This process results in a user encountering much irrelevant information, and other information which the user may not be interested in hearing, simply for the user to glean a few items of desired content.

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